Ron Brown Scholar, Jefferson Award Winner, and Dr. Marcus Foster Education Institute Warrior for Justice honoree Dr. Brandon Nicholson is the CEO of The Hidden Genius Project. As an Oakland native who has always felt a deep sense of commitment to promoting equity in the public realm, Dr. Nicholson uses his academic and applied expertise in public policy to engage stakeholders and develop multi-sector partnerships.

Before his tenure as CEO, Dr. Nicholson was a Senior Associate at Social Policy Research Associates (SPR), where he conducted substantial research in education and youth development, with a particular focus on issues of equity and access in K-12 education for communities of color.

Dr. Nicholson has also worked for Oakland Unified School District as an Education Pioneers Fellow. During his time at OUSD, Dr. Nicholson used his research skills to help implement college-ready curricula. He also brokered a partnership between the District and The Education Trust-West to complete the first audit of the school curriculum for the District.

Under Dr. Nicholson’s exemplary vision and leadership, The Hidden Genius Project has grown exponentially from a volunteer-driven nonprofit based in Oakland to a national, multimillion-dollar enterprise serving over 14,300 youth of color, especially Black boys and young men, over the last 13 years. Touting a 90% college matriculation rate and over 40% of Geniuses pursuing a major or minor in Computer Science, Dr. Nicholson’s leadership at The Hidden Genius Project has established a model for nurturing future technologists and business leaders. In addition to its flagship Oakland site, The Hidden Genius Project also has sites in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Richmond, California.

Dr. Nicholson holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy from UC Berkeley where he worked as a Graduate Minority Outreach Recruitment and Retention Project Coordinator, helping to build a strong ecosystem of graduate students from diverse backgrounds. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.

He resides in Oakland with his wife, son, and daughter.